Posted on 11/06/2008 12:14:45 PM PST by goldstategop
It’s no secret that Republicans across the nation took a beating on Tuesday. As the magnitude of this loss sinks in, some may find it therapeutic to cast blame on the economy, a biased media, being grossly outspent or other external factors. If we do, we do so at our own peril.
Tuesday’s outcome was not so much a Democrat victory as it was a Republican defeat.
America elected as its next president an inexperienced candidate whose entire campaign did little more than offer rhetorical “hope” and promise undefined “change.” Why did this message resonate? To find the answer we need to look in the mirror.
Republicans proudly proclaim our core governing principles to be individual freedom, smaller government, lower taxes and economic policies that promote investment and job creation. Voters who closely examine what happened in Washington D.C. over the past eight years, however, certainly didn’t see this. What they saw was a Republican track record of runaway spending, skyrocketing deficits and shameful ethical lapses. On Tuesday, it is clear Republicans were judged on their actions, not their words. For this we can only blame ourselves.
And while the Democrats controlled Congress for the past two years, they largely got a pass from the voters. It may not be fair, but it happened.
So where do we go from here?
There are some who argue that Republicans must abandon our core beliefs if we are to succeed. I cannot disagree more. Our future electoral success depends upon several things – the most important of which is a return to our conservative principles.
There should be little doubt about this. Republicans from Teddy Roosevelt to Ronald Reagan were successful because their administrations were guided by these very principles. And when we have deviated from them (“read my lips: no new taxes”) we have been shown the door. The lesson here is clear.
It is essential that Republicans once again offer viable solutions to the challenges facing our state and nation. We must draw a clear contrast between our vision and that of the Democrat majorities. And most of all, we must govern with principle and integrity. If we are to regain the public’s trust, we must provide a dynamic and compelling alternative.
But returning to our roots is just one part of the solution. In California we must also work on “blocking and tackling.” It is imperative that we devote attention and resources to revitalizing our party operations from the bottom up – especially with regard to registering and connecting with voters.
Numbers recently released by the Secretary of State’s office show that in the 2008 election cycle Republicans lost ground in competitive districts. We paid the price for this on Election Day. Simply put, we cannot let this happen again.
Additionally, Republican campaigns have historically had stronger organization and voter contact programs than our opponents. Tuesday’s election results show that, in this regard, we were beat at our own game. We must redouble our efforts in this area. We must seek to identify the best operational methods and maximize the use of cutting-edge technology. We must be the best in these areas. Period.
Party-building activities are not “seasonal” – they must be ongoing. And it is incumbent on Republican leaders to ensure that the focus and resources exist to make this happen. Over the past two years I have done more than 75 events for the CRP, congressional, legislative and local candidates, and local Republican organizations to help raise money, register voters and promote the Republican message. My goal is to do even more in the next two years. I will also work with other Republican leaders to rebuild our party’s infrastructure.
Our future success will require a return to, and focus on, core Republican principles. And it will also require a lot of hard work. In defeat there is opportunity. And we must seize this opportunity. If we start now, we can ensure that 2010 and 2012 will be the start of a Republican resurgence.
Good plan.
Get a load of THIS!
Complain about this:
Asheville City Schools
Attn: Superintendent
85 Mountain Street
Asheville, NC 28801
(828) 350-7000
________________________
Fight back. Don’t give the Marxist/Muslim a minute’s peace to bask in his victory:
Good luck firing this beast...especially in Asheville/Berkeley...
Right now the GOP elites are doing what they always do--kick us in the teeth after they take our support. They now have the funds to return to their lives of seeing approval from liberals.
We can't do it in the RINO GOP. We have to start somewhere where there's just us--conservatives.
Good idea. And we have to persuade state GOPs to get rid of the cross-voter business. McCain was our nom when he split the GOP in South Carolina. That's when it was all over for conservatives (until he nominated Palin.)
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Poizner's words are right, but so were Arnold's during the Recall election.
But I don't think the RINOs running the CAGOP are going to listen.
Listen? They're the ones that have been pushing Poizner for a couple years now.
Sun Tzu once said, “Know thy self, know thy enemy. A thousand battles, a thousand victories.”
Republicans forgot both.
Wise words.
Here’s a story for you: A charismatic “young” fresh politician on the left wing moves his party into the centre ground, runs a highly organised campaign which promises nothing more than “change” and “Things can only get better”, and wins - deposing a right wing administration obsessed with mud-slinging, but nonetheless complaining about an unfavourable press.
Guess who I’m talking about... Clue: it’s not Obama.
Okay, I’ll tell you. “Teflon” Tony Blair. So named because he’s the only politician in UK history who could swim in manure and still come up smelling of roses.
If Obama reneges on an election pledge within his first three months of office, converts to Catholicism, and still has 80% approval ratings, then he will finally be able to claim that he really is the American answer to Tony Blair.
But if Tony Blair won the 97 election, the Tories lost the next two without any help from Blair.
Change was what the Brits wanted in ‘97. The Tory Party went through the motions after that landslide defeat, but you could tell that in their hearts didn’t see the need to change.
Funnily enough, that suited Blair fine: he just pinched every new policy the Tories came up with.
Finally, after a third election defeat, the Tories finally learnt that Tony Blair wasn’t winning because he had better policies. His policies were, after all, Tory policies.
It’s simple: The losers were a disorganised, mean-spirited, back-biting bunch of cantankerous old Tory duffers who never listened to opinion polls and were associated with sleaze...
The winners were an organised, gregarious, united bunch of young Tories who manipulated the press, scrutinised every opinion poll, and never allowed the halo to slip. And, just to annoy all proper Tories, they had the luck of the devil on their side with high employment, low inflation, a strong economy and spiralling house prices.
On pure politics you can’t seperate the parties with a piece of paper. The only difference was image.
So that’s the question the Republicans need to ask. If Obama starts squatting on their policy territory, and things go well for him, what’s their solution going to be?
no..Newt Gingrich...Palin is to valuable a candidate...
Sun Tzu also wrote than when you are strong, look weak; when you are weak, look strong- In order to attract the enemy to a certain terrain for an ambush. McCain didn't see enemies or read Sun Tzu as a Naval officer .
Sarah Palin knows about this instinctively. Send her 'The Art of War'. There are management hints about how to deal with back-stabbers in it. That 2500 year old Chinese expert warrior knows more than McCain.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
YES! Works for me. The CONSERVATIVE PARTY! Let's do it.
Funny you should mention Sun Tzu... the GOP’s biggest mistake is that it keeps ignoring it.
Sarah Palin made the same mistake herself... by suggesting that Russia might be a future target when nobody outside the USA thinks that’s a wise move and nobody thinks you have the might to pull it off.
Likewise, when you split your forces to attack Iraq instead of committing everything to prosecuting the mission in Afghanistan, where did that sit with the following equally sensible concepts derived from Sun Tzu:
1. “united we stand, divided we fall” (work WITH your allies, not against them)
2. “don’t fight a war on two fronts”
3. “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” (Saddam was no friend of Iran or Al Qaeda)
4. “divide and conquer” (the enemy!)
5. Hearts and minds - don’t make enemies of people who should be your allies. (Russia didn’t try to get the Afghan people onside, and that’s why they couldn’t defeat Afghanistan)
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